Thimbleby & Shorland was established in March 1901 (originally as Bailey and Thimbleby). Mr Bailey was a furniture auctioneer based in Friar Street, Reading and A. C. Thimbleby an insurance agent, working from an office in Queens Road, Reading. They were formally announced in May 1901. 

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Bailey and Thimbleby realised that Reading was a growing centre for agriculture and to succeed they needed to be involved in auctions in the growing Reading Cattle Market.  They therefore approached George Shorland a respected farmer, who farmed between Reading and Henley on Thames, who agreed to run the agricultural side of the business in October 1901, under the name of Messrs Bailey, Thimbleby & Shorland. This new joint venture started the firm we know today.  Mr Bailey soon ceased to be involved and all adverts in the local press from 1903 mention only Thimbleby & Shorland. 

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The firm continued it's expansion into the agricultural business and by 1911 were selling cattle 3 days a week at Reading Cattle Market.  From these foundations the firm built up strong connections in the sale of Irish Cattle, Berkshire Pigs, horses and farm machinery. Amongst the interesting sales at that time, one included an eight horse power traction engine and 3 complete sets of road rollers. The sale of contractors plant would one day be a speciality of the firm. 

 

By the end of the Great War in 1918, Thimbleby & Shorland was a nationally known firm of auctioneers, selling livestock all over the country. Then, in 1918 the Secretary of State for War instructed the firm to sell Army horses repatriated from France. 

 

Adverts in local papers praised the retired war horses:

Tried and passed the test

They did their very best

They worked to win the war

They’ll work for you still more

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The expansion of the business continued in the 1920’s  and by the 1930’s the firm was bringing train loads of Ayrshire Cattle from Scotland, the like of which most Englishmen had never seen. 

 

Since 1901,the firm also held sales of furniture in Reading, and today T&S still hold monthly sales of furniture, antiques and fine art.  

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The famous T&S Carriage sales began in the 1960’s.  The first carriage sale open to all vendors came in 1965 and continue to the present day.  In all some 25,000 carriage have passed through the firm’s hands, selling to people from all walks of life. 

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One major change has been the decline of the livestock markets with the firm diversifying into the Contractors Plant sector in the mid 1980’s.  This department has grown steadily and T&S now hold six onsite auctions per year, with private vendors, dealers, end users, finance companies and national hire companies, selling to our large client base worldwide. T&S also undertake onsite sales at vendors own premises all over the country. 

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In 2008 online bidding was introduced and is offered at all of our plant and monthly antique sales, as well as online only sales. 

 

Now trading for over 120 years, Thimbleby & Shorland is one of the oldest companies operating in Reading, and continues to go from strength to strength.  The style of the business has not changed over the years, but the products and diversity has, with everything from carriages to contractors plant, cars & commercials being offered in our auctions.